Shooting federation to assess Rio Olympics performance

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Thursday announced the setting up of a special Review Committee to "examine and identify in a cold and ruthless manner" the causes behind the 12 shooters not securing any medals at the recently concluded Rio Olympic Games.

The committee is also mandated to recommend concrete steps that NRAI must immediately take to ensure that this is not repeated in future Olympics.

The committee has been formed as per powers bestowed on NRAI President Raninder Singh through the constitution of the federation.

Abhinav Bindra narrowly missed out on a medal as he finished fourth in the men's 10m Air Rifle competition, while Jitu Rai was only the second shooter to reach the finals in the 10m Air Pistol. The rest of the shooters failed to get past the qualification rounds.

Bindra, India's only individual Olympic gold medallist who has announced his retirement after the Rio Olympics, has been appointed chairman of the committee.

The order also states that only in "matters specifically pertaining to the interview or findings/conclusions if any against or in favour of any Olympic team athlete that maybe examined by the committee, the chairman of the committee shall be exempt participation in toto from such tasks by recusal, however upon his own request he too shall make himself available for interview by the remainder of the panel."

The order further states that "for this specific issue only, the remaining members of the commission shall officiate jointly, where majority view shall prevail".

Other members of the committee include sports administrator Manisha Malhotra, NRAI secretary Rajiv Bhatia and sports journalists Digvijay Singh Deo and Kamesh Srinivasan.

The order empowers the committee to go into a wide range of factors affecting the performance of the athletes.

Also, as per the order, the NRAI Review Committee has been asked to submit its report to the office of the NRAI President within a maximum period of four weeks from the issuance of the order.

The committee is expected to hold its first meeting on the 30th or 31st of this month and it has also been allowed the use of all available technology to help conduct its work smoothly.

--IANS

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